if the president and speaker boehner can't reach an agreement to avoid the fiscal cliff, taxes for all americans will go up and across-the-board spending cuts will kick in on january 1st. >> reporter: there are signs some republicans are now willing to compromise on taxes, if they can secure cuts to social security, medicare, and medicaid. >> you give the president the 2% he's talking about, the rate increase on the top 2%. and all of a sudden, the shift goes back to entitlements. >> reporter: one proposal under discussion, raging the eligibility age for medicare is not going well for some dem -- democrats and advocates for senior citizens. >> the option to raise the medicare age is bad policy and will increase costs. because people who are 65 and 66 still need health insurance. >> reporter: the aarp says the real solution to cutting the deficit is lowering skyrocketing healthcare costs. in washington, danielle nottingham, wjz eyewitness news. >> well, the official fiscal cliff deadline is december 31st. many on capitol hill say an agreement is needed buyer the before the end of this w